“She is. But she isn’t wealthy enough to pay their enormous debts on her own.”
Drew glanced down at the manuscript. “I am highly curious to know what Fanny put in her book about seducing a prospective husband.”
He thumbed through the pages, reading a passage here and there. “I see that she included a number of my tactics in addition to her own.” He smiled wickedly at one particular passage. “Hmm, so that is what you were attempting at Fanny’s house when you drove me mad with your tormenting?”
“I will never tell,” Roslyn retorted saucily. “We females must have our secrets, remember?”
“You can have all the secrets you want, as long as you use them solely on me.”
His gaze skimmed further down the page. “Will this book be published under Fanny’s name?”
“No, it will be authored by an anonymous lady.”
“I think that wise,” Drew said dryly, “since I rather doubt that gently nurtured females of the ton would willingly take advice from a renowned highflyer, even if it would help them catch a husband. Ah, here is one we never discussed. ‘Never nag or scold, especially when he deserves it. He will be enchanted by your forbearance, and his guilt will act in your favor.’ You should heed that particular advice, my sweet.”
“I should heed it?” Roslyn’s blue eyes took on a gleam of laughter. “Have I ever nagged or scolded you, my dearest duke?”
“Occasionally…and I
found the experience devastating. But scolding or not, you always enchant me.”
It was true, Drew thought, gazing down at her upturned face. Roslyn had the kind of enchanting beauty that made him ache just to see it, but it was her inner beauty that had ensnared his heart.
And the loving look in her eyes told him clearly that he had ensnared hers. Caught by that look, Drew reached up to touch her, his fingers wandering with delicacy over her face, her brows, her eyelids.
Roslyn sighed again, then inhaled breathlessly as he cradled her head in his hands and covered her mouth in a long, sublime, heart-stirring kiss.
She could scarcely credit her incredible good fortune, could scarcely credit the feelings she shared with Drew at merely kissing: this passionate need for each other, this hammering of the senses, this exhilarating, endless tenderness. This love. They were lovers, friends…and soon husband and wife.
Emotion, pure and powerful, flooded through her whole being. She felt hope and immeasurable joy. And she knew without a doubt that Drew felt similarly when he finally broke off kissing her.
Her dazed, tender look turned wondering as she brought his hand to her cheek and whispered, “I feel an almost fearful happiness, Drew. One I never even dared to dream of. Do you think it will last?”
“I know damned well it will last-if you promise to love and cherish me as I will always do you.”
“Of course I promise.”
“Good.” He grinned. “Now that I have gone to all this trouble to train you properly, I wouldn’t care to have to break in a new candidate for my mistress…or my duchess.”
Roslyn’s musical laugh rang out in the hush of the library before Drew silenced her for a very long time by capturing her lips again with his own.